Dallas Cowboys Blog

Jerry Jones will be more careful in his remarks made out in the public as a result of the fallout from the cell-phone video that was used by Deadspin.

Speaking to local reporters, including those from the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and ESPNDallas, Jones said he meant no disrespect toward Bill Parcells and he called the former Cowboys coach to explain the comments. On the video, Jones said Parcells “isn’t worth a [expletive]” and that he was hired to help pass a vote to build the new stadium in Arlington.

“The one thing that I can assure our fans about is the way I feel about him as a coach, which is special,” Jones said. “I think he’s a great coach, not a good coach, a great coach…. I have always been appreciative of the time we spent together. I do love him. His people skills are as good as anybody I’ve ever been around, in any field, in my life. To interpret anything I may have said in any way other than fondness or kidding is just not framing it right. It just didn’t happen that way.”

As for the stadium vote after the Cowboys had three straight 5-11 seasons from 2000-02, Jones acknowledged Parcells’ presence helped.

“Our franchise needed Bill,” Jones said. “That’s why I made the decision. The kinds of things that Bill could bring to the franchise create a positive feeling about the franchise, and that stadium is certainly one of them.”

In an e-mail this morning, Parcells brushed off the episode and maintains an excellent relationship with Jones.

“I have a very high personal regard for Jerry Jones,” Parcells said. “I enjoyed my time in Dallas with him and the Cowboys very much. I have seen numerous gestures of benevolence and kindness by him to many people and have been a recipient of some myself. I have always operated under the axiom that a friend is someone who knows all about you and likes you anyway. That’s how I feel about Jerry – and being a little less than perfect myself I am pretty darn sure that’s how he feels about me.”

While he will remain one of the most visible owners in all of sports, Jones will watch what he says after being taped without his knowledge.

“I certainly don’t and wouldn’t use four-letter words in anything that would be involved in the media or for people of all ages to hear,” Jones said. “The other thing that I would be careful about is any wit or attempt at wit or humor or attempt at humor. But that’s just not what you’re thinking about when you’re having a social moment.”